Falcons back in the big time

Newly-promoted Newcastle Falcons will take on Bath in the opening round of fixtures in the new Premiership season on Saturday, September 7.

Newly-promoted Newcastle Falcons will take on Bath in the opening round of fixtures in the new Premiership season on Saturday, September 7.

Leicester will begin the defence of their title at home to Worcester on Sunday, September 8, whilst the traditional Twickenham double-header on the same day sees London Irish face Saracens and Wasps tackle Harlequins.

Elsewhere on the opening weekend, last season's runners-up Northampton will host Exeter and Gloucester will meet Sale Sharks.

Premiership Rugby have also confirmed that there will be two additional regular-season games at Twickenham - Harlequins v Exeter on December 28 and Wasps v Gloucester on April 21.

The London derby between Saracens and Harlequins will take place at Wembley Stadium on March 22, two years after the same fixture attracted a world-record attendance for a club rugby match of 83,761.

"Every year the anticipation over the new fixtures grows and looking at the 2013-14 season, it is clear we have huge matches every weekend," said Phil Winstanley, rugby director at Premiership Rugby.

"Matches in the Premiership get more compelling and competitive every year and last season we once again had a smaller average winning margin - a slim 11 points - in our games than in any other league in the world.

"We've had three different Premiership champions in the last three years and last May we had a new club, Northampton Saints, in the Premiership Rugby Final," he added.